


Leaves of Malinornë

by Awenseth



Series: The Raven's Crown [2]
Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: AU, Adventure, Drama, F/M, Family, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi, One-Shot Collection, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-28
Updated: 2014-09-28
Packaged: 2018-02-19 03:47:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2373365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Awenseth/pseuds/Awenseth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As the trees grow taller while the river of time flows they see many things around them and carry the stroies with them to tell all those who wish listening to them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A royal visit

It was a bright day in the Shire, sunny, warm, with a little breeze flowing through the land, just the perfect day for Hobbits to laze around in front of they homes while smoking pipeweed, laying around in the sun on the green the meadows, go fishing or swimming. Bilbo Baggins the infamous Hobbit and Master of BagEnd was doing just the same, sitting in front of his hole smoking and using the time in which he was left alone, which let's face it was a rare thing since he returned from his adventure some years ago. Naturally, no one wanted to believe him only his younger cousins whom were still young lads and lasses, but one thing no one doubted were the riches he had brought with him. Of course now were there all those rumours of his home full of treasures only because he tended to give some of them to the more needy hobbits.

Really, everyone was acting silly only because he tended to be kind to others in his good fortune.

He was always the option that you can be as rich as you want, but truly happy you will only be with a loving family and friends and he had gained that with his younger cousins, mostly the young Frodo whom reminded Bilbo pretty much on himself in his youth, and the friends he gained. He was probably the only Hobbit around whom was close friends with the wise wizard Gandalf the Gray, a group of dwarves and of course bore the title Elf-Friend bestowed on him by the king of the Woodland Realm himself. First he was not sure what that title meant so it was an even more driving force to learn more about the elves, what he had found out stunned him, beside that getting the title given to you by King Thranduil was an even greater achievement, from now on would he always be welcome under all elves of Middle-Earth and they realms. This really touched him and he set out to learn they language, he knew already a little from listening to Thranduil's people, they writing and culture, elves were truly fascinating.

"I wonder how the elves of Mirkwood are, those spiders are really an awful lot." Bilbo said while blowing out a smoke ring while gazing up at the endless blue sky.

"I still prefer my land to be still called Greenwood, but I agree on the spiders." said suddenly a deep, but still melodious voice from beside him. Looking up startled found Bilbo himself looking into the clear blue eyes of a certain elf who was smirking at him in amusement.

"King Thranduil!" Bilbo exclaimed in shock as he fell from his chair in surprise.

"I seem to still be able to make a good appearance." the blonde king chuckled as he helped the still blinking Halfling up from the ground.

"Wha…what are you doing here!" Bilbo broke out before remembering who the other was and quickly composed himself. "I don't mean that it is not good seeing you, but I thought that you need to stay in your realm." he said in a more polite tone, he still remembered the other's temper and he didn't want half of Hobbittown getting a heart attack.

"It is also good seeing you meldir, as for why I'm here it is not unusual for a friend to visit the other, I left my realm for that short while in the hands of Legolas. In the last decades had he proven to be a great warrior and a wise consul no matter his young age. It was time that he proves himself as my heir and if something should still come up, he has both Feanor and Angränor on his side together with his aunt to help." Bilbo nodded, he liked Legolas and he was truly a bright lad and would make a good king for his people, he also remembered the other three mentioned elves and he saw the seneschal fight in the War of the Five Armies, he was a truly formidable foe, but then he remembered something.

"Ah, where are my manners, come inside, do you wish some tea or would wine be better, I got some really excellent one not all too long ago." Bilbo said while ushering his royal guest inside his home.

"I will be fine with some tea for now." replied Thranduil while trying to avoid colliding his head with the candeliner.

Finally inside made Bilbo his way immediately into the kitchen of his comfortable home, silently cursing that if he would have known about the regal elf's visit then he would have cleaned the whole place beforehand. While the Master of BagEnd was busy was a certain king looking around the hobbit hole curiously, looking at everything he found, the pictures, books, artefacts till his eyes fell on a large book standing on the working table. Walking closer had he just started reading when Bilbo appeared in the door with a tray of two steaming mugs. He was slightly surprised to have finally found the other in his workroom and also somewhat embarrassed seeing how he was currently writing the part when the dwarves were rescue/captured by the elves.

"You decided to write a book about your adventure." Thranduil said in a thoughtful tone as he turned to look at the fidgeting hobbit in the door.

"Aye, thought I'm a bit stuck by the current part, I mean the first meeting wasn't really successful and seeing how I was not there by some parts, namely when your soldiers got Thorin and some other facts seeing that my friends are still sore with you and thus I may have not got the full accounts I need." he admitted, hoping that he wouldn't anger the other, but the king had him already figured out.

"If you wish I could fill you in on the parts you had missed and can also give my account to the meeting with your dwarven friends." the last two words were said in annoyance, but Bilbo understood.

"Hannon le meldir." Bilbo said in a grateful tone when the king suddenly laughed.

"I see you are learning our language." he said in an amused tone.

"Aye, I want to learn it, but I have only the knowledge I learned while hiding in your halls" this still made him embarrassed "and the books Gandalf had brought me."

"I think we can also put in some elvish lessons if you wish." Thranduil said in a thoughtful tone.

"Wonderful." exclaimed Bilbo as both him and his guest sat down in the slightly stuffed study, drinking they tea while the elvenking helped with the missing parts of the book.

♈ ♉ ♊ ♋ ♌ ♍ ♎ ♏ ♐ ♑ ♒ ♓

It was later in the afternoon when a family of three was making they way up the long road, stopping in front of the large round door of the largest hole. Ringing the bell the little family waited patiently for the owner to open and soon they heard the lock click and the door opened revealing a cheerful hobbit looking out curiously, his eyes danced with mirth because of the embarrassing and amusing story about a certain young prince he had just heard involving a lost bet, a dress and five turly embarassed elves for not realizing who they had spotted.

"Ah, what a lovely surprise." Bilbo said as he looked at the trio from whom the adults were looking at him sheepishly.

"Hullo Bilbo, I hope we are not bothering, but we wanted to ask you if Frodo could stay here for today, we were invited to the Proudfoots for a dinner party, but it will only be for adults." Drogo said while his wife stroke through her son's curly black hair.

"We understand if you are bu…" but Bilbo held up his hand.

"Don't talk silly things, old Bilbo Baggins not having time to babysit, that will never happen, you two have fun while this lad and me have our own." Bilbo said with a laugh.

"Thank you so much Bilbo." Drogo said gratefully as both him and his wife hugged they son and went on they way. When they couldn't be seen anymore turned Bilbo back to the young hobbit at his side.

"Come now Frodo my lad, come inside I have a drear friend visiting whom I would like you to met." Bilbo said as he ushered the young lad inside knowing that Frodo was open minded and he had told him often that no matter how scary the elvenking could be was he a good person.

"Is it one of the dwarves I hadn't met before?" Frodo asked innocently seeing how his cousin implied that it was a friend he hadn't met before.

"I think he would be insulted if compared to a dwarf." Bilbo said laughing as he led the lad into his study where Thranduil was going through a short essay his friend had written in elven script to check how it went. "Frodo my lad, I would like you to met King Thranduil Oropherion a good friend of mine and this is my young cousin Frodo Baggins." Bilbo said happily as he pushed the wide eyed youngling in front of the elf.

"I…it is nice to meet you." Frodo stammered out, he was in awe from the fair sight of the elvenking about whom he had so often heard from Bilbo and he needed to give the older hobbit right, the king looked stern, but he had also a kind feeling to him which you could only notice if you looked past the feeling of intimidation and authority.

"It is my pleasure Frodo." Thranduil said with a kind smile as he kneeled down to be a bit more level with the young hobbit.

"Thranduil is helping me with some of the missing parts of my book and teaching me some elvish, but currently we are resting a bit and he is telling me some interesting stories." Bilbo explained to the young boy, his hands resting on the small shoulders.

"I would also like to learn the elven language." Frodo said suddenly, his eyes gleaming.

"Is that so? Aiya, you are pretty similar to your cousin." Thranduil said with an amused laugh at the two blushing Halflings, he needed to give his two advisors and sister-in-law right, he needed this little trip away from his constant worries. "Then let us see what you already know little one." he said as Frodo eagerly sat down, happy to have met again another character from Bilbo's great adventure, to bad that his friend Sam was currently visiting some relatives from his mother's side, he loved to hear about the elves and would have probably loved it to meet one of them personally. Maybe next time can he and his other nicer cousins Merry, Pipin also be here then, but for now would he try to learn as much as he could while enjoying the company of the ancient elvenking.


	2. The king and the Spoon-lover

Anor was blazing warmly over the Shire when a small party of horses rid over the grassy roads on the way to they destination. It was thought as a surprise visit to an old friend whom they had won not all too long ago, but for they kin counted even the passing of one hundred moons as if only a few days had passed over them. Soon they would be there, for the road they had taken out of they home - constantly threatened by darkness, against which they fight each day bravely-, lead them right to his home.

"The Shire is truly a pleasing sight to behold." said the ebony haired elf as his amber like eyes looked at the one he was riding close to.

"Aye, it truly is one of the few lands not touched by the evil of darkness, but there is a strange bothersome feeling in my heart that things will be changing." the blonde rider said as his blue eyes gazed up at the bright summer sky. His companion didn't answer, till now had the other's instincts never been wrong.

"My liege, my lord we seem to have arrived." called one of the soldiers, all of them ignoring the few children peeking out of they round windows curiously at the strange group.

The five horses stopped in front of the largest hole standing on the large hill covered in soft grass. Dismounting from them stepped the first of the group to the large round door and knocked trice on the tick wood. First there was no answer and the knocking was repeated.

"What do you think, how long our Sire will repeat this?" whispered on of the soldiers to his two companions.

"The moods of our king are not to be debated like this." come it from the amber eyed general as he gave a displeased look to his three subordinates before shrugging. "He kept his good mood on the whole trip so I would say he will be able doing this for another hour before loosing patience." but this didn't need to be for the door opened carefully, first a crack and then it flung open fully.

"King Thranduil?" exclaimed the shocked figure as he stared wide eyed at the smirking blonde in front of him.

"At least did he hold himself back by his appearance now, unlike how you first met." this made the other in the door turn into the voice's direction.

"Lord Angränor, you are also here? Did something happen in your woods? I mean worse then normal. Ai, where are my manners, come inside everyone, come inside, I will set up some tea or something stronger." Bilbo Baggins was to say shockingly stunned to see five elves standing on his porch with the elvenking right in front of them and his seneschal not all to far behind. When the knocking come had he thought that it was again the Sackville-Bagginses, but he was mistaken in that in a slightly shocking, but still pleasing way. He had missed the elves of the large forest.

Bilbo was stunned to learn to know that both the Royal Healer, who was not to forget the king's sister-in-law, and the crown prince decided together with the royal advisors that they king needed a few days rest and seeing how in Lothlórien he would only be in constant battle with Lady Galadriel with Lord Celeborn standing like so often in the past in the middle, not that they would try to physically harm each other, - that was only once-, and Imladris was immediately shoot out because of both Lord Elrond and Lord Glorfindel and Lord Círdan lived beside the sea and no one wanted to risk that Thranduil gets the sea-longing seeing how the proud king had sworn and oath as to not leave Arda for Valinor till his beloved forest was free from darkness. In other words he would accept all suffering given by the longing and continue fighting, which would be bad for his health. This meant that he was the only one to whom they could send him for the week, not that Bilbo minded to house the five elves, the young son of his gardener will be positively delighted about meeting real elves as would be his favourite cousin Frodo. He had offered to make rooms ready for his guests, but all five politely declined and told him that they would be comfortable enough in the forest near his home, well seeing how they were Wood Elves should this have not surprised him in the least, but it was still a new thing seeing Thranduil and his men tree climbing.

The coming two days were truly brilliant and Bilbo felt as if he would be again on a new adventure with the elves, thought he dreaded to find out what would happen if his dwarven friends would come to visit while the elves are in the Shire. The prospect of being stuck in the middle of the two battling parties while trying to calm they tempers before they use they weapons for that didn't sound all to cheerful in his option. The other surprising thing was that till now no one had noticed his five fair guests coming from the woods to his house and back. It where days like these in which Bilbo truly felt shocked how little hobbits tended to notice about the world around them, but he also should have remembered that you can't be sure what would happen on the next morn. So it happened on the fifth day of the elves visit that Bilbo was sitting in his study together with Thranduil talking about his book when suddenly a knock come on the front door of his hole. Standing up curiously excused Bilbo himself by his friend and made his way to the door, a sinking feeling in his stomach, something told him that he wouldn't like it after opening the door.

And that feeling proved to be correct.

"What took you so long to open the door Bilbo Baggins." snapped the annoying voice for which it was always to early to be heard.

"A nice day to you to Lobelia, Otho, Lotho." Bilbo forced out from between gritted teeth, he really didn't wish to deal with his least favourite cousins who were determined to get they hands on his home.

"The weather could be better." stated Lobelia as she forced her way inside the house. "Why do you still insist on living here in this large hole Bilbo if you live all alone. Had you ever thought to move into a hole better suited for you?" Bilbo held himself back from rolling his eyes at that statement, he lost count how often he had heard it after threehundredfifty or so.

"You should consider it Bilbo, I could find you a nice little home to move into, maybe in Brandyhall?" Otho offered, but his cousin knew that this was not out of courtesy.

"Thank you both for being so forthcoming regards my living arrangements, but I'm feeling perfectly content here at BagEnd so I need to decline your kind offer." Bilbo replied wanting them out of the house as fast as he could or to at least get them to take the volume down as to not alert his guest, but it was to late for that.

"Don't be so stubborn Bilbo, you are still single, have no heir and the whole Shire thinks that you are querer then a hole full of Tooks. You are giving the name ' _Baggins'_ a bad reputation, moving away and giving us the house would save you so many troubles." Lobelia argued and Bilbo heard a chair moving on the ground. Now they had done it, stepping back was he ready to cover his ears when needed and to try coming up with a plan to calm his friend down.

"You know that it is counted as highly impolite to brag into someone's home, even if it is a relative, without the owners invitation and to demand that he settles somewhere else." come the melodious deep voice as all hobbits turned to the new figure appearing out of the corridor leading to the study.

"Wha…" was the only thing Otho could bring out by the sight of an elf standing there in his cousin's hole, looking at them with ancient eyes.

"And who might you be?" Lobelia asked, not noticing how the three males behind her blinked at her for not being scared by the disapproving look the fair creature was giving them.

"I'm Thranduil Oropherion, King of Greenwood the Great, but most folk out there tends to call in now Mirkwood." Thranduil said with his best arrogant tone which he used by traders thinking him to be an idiot and not able to tell the difference between junk and useful tools. He noted with satisfaction as one of the unwelcome visitors took a hasty step back, eyes wide in fear while his son dove right behind his back, but it seemed to not affect all of them.

"And why aren't you then in your forest?" Lobelia asked in an annoyed tone not even noticing how the trio behind him just stared at her.

Otho could not believe his wife, they had also heard Bilbo's tale about his adventure after he got back from it. Everyone wanted to know where he had disappeared to and from where he got his treasures, so he knew about the frightening and beautiful elvenking of the dark forest. A cold shudder went through his body at the sight of the ancient eyes, sharp features, his whole being made his feel intimidated and he wished to run. Behind him had Lotho the same thoughts, he never admitted it, but after hearing the tale about the dark forest, large spiders and the elvenking's dungeons had he nightmares for a good time about getting lost in that forest and be thrown by the king into his dungeons filled with spiders the size of two ponies. Now meeting the person of his nightmares in person was enough to make him hide behind his father so that he could sneak out of the hole unnoticed by anyone.

"After my knowledge is it no crime to visit a friend." Thranduil stated, his tone tight as his patience was grooving thin regards this woman and her lack in manners. Even he managed to use them for a time when debating with people who annoy him, namely the Lord of Imladris, a certain Balrog Slayer and the White Lady of Lorien.

"Che, I would have thought that royals have better taste in friends then him." Bilbo had the great urge to make a comment about Lobelia's lack of friends, but Thranduil beat him to it.

"Strangely till now have even my enemies admitted that I have an excellent taste so I would say that the problem lays by you Madam." come the king's smug reply, Bilbo certainly loved his friend's sharp tongue and that purple looked really good on Lobelia's face as she glared at the elf before turning to the side and storming into the kitchen.

All four males looked curiously into the room as the angry lass muttered some unintelligent things under her nose as she grabbed one of the carved wooden chairs standing by the table and carried it outside. Once back in the hall she placed it down exactly one step in front of Thranduil, gathered her blue dress in her hands and carefully climbed up on it so that she was now only two heads shorter then her foe who merely raised one amused eyebrow at her antics as she scowled at him, jumped down again and walked out of the hall again only to return with two tick books, placed them on the chair and climbed up. She gave a satisfied nod now that she was face to face with the elf.

"I will gladly inform you that I'm know about having a good taste." Lobelia said in an offended tone, her eyes burning in anger.

"I would doubt it Madam, for having a good taste you also need to have an open eye for those around you and also you would need to be a good understander of ones character." Thranduil said, his patience already departing to the shores.

"I have a good understanding for people." Bilbo returned at this slightly from his shock because of the urge to snort.

"I fail to see that just like the manners a lady should posses and believe me, in my long life had I met already a good number of women and till now had neither won my distaste like you have." and this was the truth, even if he had in the past fights with Galadriel she at least could act as it was proper from a lady.

"How dare you suggest that I don't know how a lady should be acting." Lobolia snapped as she pressed one of her fingers against the king's chest. "I will have you know that I'm the perfect lady who is trying to gain what is hers."

"You can't bend a family's tradition without a legal ground and only because Bilbo has no children is not one of those reasons which would give you the right to own this place. After my knowledge if a clan head has no children is it they right to choose a hair to take they place and only the head has the right to decide." Thranduil growled as he returned the female hobbit's glare.

Meanwhile had Lotho managed to flee form the house and was now hiding in one of the bushed just outside the garden gate, mostly after three more elves passed through the gate, while both Otho and Bilbo were only blinking in shock at the unlikely scene in front of them as both Lobelia and Thranduil continued they bickering regards mannerism and the others taste.

"Knew that I had heard his majesty arguing." Angränor said while shaking his head as behind him the two soldiers tried to decide if this scene was amusing enough to come up with a song for home, thought they could see their king reacting not all to pleased to this. He was still sore about that song telling about his first and last encounter with pipeweed, though he was the only one not amused by the banned song.

"What do you think how long argument will take Lord Angränor?" Bilbo asked the general unsurely.

"Our king can go on for hours in an argument and something tells me that this lady will not stop for a while." Angränor said with a new shake of his head before looking down at Bilbo.

"Then I should set up some tea, you are also coming Otho? It looks as if Lobelia will be busy for some time and Lotho decided to go somewhere." Bilbo offered after a few minutes of thinking. Otho only blinked at his cousin before looking back at his wife fighting verbally against the king who was both beautiful to look at, but made him also want to run in fright.

"Some tea would be good." Otho said while eyeing the three elves warily, settling on acting polite to avoid more fights from happening.

As guessed the fight between the two parties continued on for three more hours before Lobelia had run out of comments and her feet hurt from standing in one spot for so long without any movement to prevent herself from falling off of the chair she was standing on. After getting down on the ground again departed both of them into the kitchen to get something for they dry throats and Otho managed to drag his wife back home, picking his son up on the way and hoping that by tomorrow not the whole Shire would be talking about this accident.


End file.
